Former Italy Coach CesarePrandelli says he and his family have been receiving threatening letters from angry Azzurri fans following the team’s early World Cup exit.

The 56-year-old resigned immediately after elimination in Brazil and was today present at a Press conference to announce his appointment as Galatasaray boss.

Among other things he revealed to the Italian journalists present, Prandelli said some of his Azzurri players were too fearful during the tournament, accused Giuseppe Rossi of poor conduct stated that Mario Balotelli is not yet a champion.

“My family and I have received threatening letters from fans,” the former Fiorentina Coach commented.

“I could have asked for severance pay but instead I resigned with the intention of not accepting offers from Italy.

“Some of my players were betrayed by fear, but it’s not true that the group was divided. The presence of the families at the camp was a positive aspect of our trip, but there is someone very bad among the people who criticise me.

“Mario only has big games and occasional flashes at the moment, but he still needs to become a champion. I told him that he needs to focus on training, working and playing in the real world, not the virtual one. If he stops existing in this parallel universe and gets his feet on the ground, then he can become what he thinks he already is.

"The person who disappointed me most from a human point of view, however, was Rossi.

“It hurt me a lot to hear myself compared to Schettino, but that is the cynicism of our football,” Prandelli added finally in reference to sections of media who have drawn comparisons between him and Captain Francesco Schettino, the man who went on trial for manslaughter for his role in the Costa Concordia ship disaster.